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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26682982">doesn't even cross [his] mind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophh/pseuds/sophh'>sophh</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Shades of Heartbreak Weather [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I can't quite tag this "Wolfstar" I suppose, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Present Tense, Stars &amp; Scars, Unrequited Love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:21:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>625</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26682982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophh/pseuds/sophh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hope Lupin bears witness to her son's heartbreak.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hope Lupin &amp; Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Shades of Heartbreak Weather [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1930666</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>doesn't even cross [his] mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Mum," Remus says, a blush creeping up his cheeks, "I made a friend at school."</p><p>Hope Lupin smiles broadly and slides a cup of hot cocoa over to her son. She'll never admit it, but she's been looking forward to this day for a long time. All she's ever wanted is for her little boy to be accepted. "Really? What's he or she like?"</p><p>Remus takes a sip from the ivory mug. "Well, he's..." He trails off, no doubt thinking of the exact words he wants to use. "He's sort of daring and mischievous, but he's also very kind and loyal."</p><p>"He sounds wonderful," Hope says gently. "What's his name?"</p><p>"Sirius," Remus whispers. His face immediately goes even redder, and he won't meet his mother's eye. Hope recognizes the symptoms—her son <em>likes</em> this boy. She just hopes that this Sirius doesn't break his heart.</p><p>...</p><p>"Mum," Remus says quietly, "I'd like you to meet Sirius."</p><p>It's the end of the year and Hope is picking her son up at the train station. When the dark-haired boy saunters over and takes her hand, she can see why her son is so taken with him—his confidence alone is incredibly charming.</p><p>"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Lupin," he says as Remus beams at his side.</p><p>"It's nice to meet you too, Sirius," Hope replies.</p><p>Once Sirius has left, she turns to her son and gives him a knowing smile. "He's lovely," she tells him, watching his face flush.</p><p>Remus doesn't stop talking about him the whole way home. Hope listens, but there's a knot in her stomach. Though her son is clearly besotted with him, she's not sure that he feels the same way.</p><p>...</p><p>"Mum," Remus says, tears falling down his face faster than he can wipe them away, "Sirius has a—a girlfriend now."</p><p>"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Hope murmurs, cradling him against her chest. He's not so little anymore—though still thinner than she'd like—but she makes it work as best she can. "I wish he could have loved you the way that you love him."</p><p>Remus pulls away, shock clear in the amber eyes that he inherited from her. "I don't—"</p><p>"It's alright, Remus," Hope says, brushing his hair away from his face with steady fingers. Her son's puffy red eyes are a grim testament to his pain, and she wishes that he didn't have to suffer through this heartbreak. "You don't have to deny it."</p><p>Remus cries until her shirt is soaked through, and Hope feels like a piece of her heart is broken, too.</p><p>...</p><p>"Mum?" Remus whispers, clinging to her like she's a lifeline in a raging sea. "Does the heartache ever truly go away?"</p><p>Her son doesn't use names, but he doesn't have to—Hope knows exactly who he's referring to.</p><p>She chooses her words carefully, not wanting to alert the boy to the harsh realities of the world too soon. "Not always, Remus. Sometimes you just learn to live with it."</p><p>Remus looks at her with torment in his eyes, and she has to work to keep from flinching. "What if I can't?"</p><p>Hope finds herself on the verge of tears when she answers him. His happiness is more important than anything, but she can't make Sirius love her son if he doesn't want to. "You will. You are more capable than you know."</p><p>His sobs ring in her ears for days to come.</p><p>...</p><p>Remus doesn't talk about Sirius or heartache anymore. Hope wonders, but she doesn't pry. Her son will talk when he's ready. Until then, she will continue to be a supportive presence in his life, fervent in her belief that he will one day meet someone who loves him just as much as she does.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prompts: (relationship) familial platonic, (trope) unrequited love</p></blockquote></div></div>
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